overview of the human rights situation in zimbabwe - Kubatana
overview of the human rights situation in zimbabwe - Kubatana
overview of the human rights situation in zimbabwe - Kubatana
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Guruve and Shamva, Uzumba Marambapfungwe, Mashonaland West Prov<strong>in</strong>ce and<br />
Midlands prov<strong>in</strong>ce. 4 In <strong>the</strong> f<strong>in</strong>al report on <strong>the</strong> Presidential election <strong>of</strong> March 2002 <strong>the</strong><br />
Zimbabwe Election Support Network (ZESN) reported that;<br />
“<strong>the</strong> number <strong>of</strong> known militia bases were located as follows <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> prov<strong>in</strong>ces:<br />
Mashonaland Central (40); Matabeleland (29); Mashonaland West (23); Masv<strong>in</strong>go<br />
(13); Bulawayo (13); Mashonaland East (9); Chitungwiza (9); and Harare (5). In<br />
Masv<strong>in</strong>go <strong>the</strong> party militia was camped at vice President Muzenda’s Paradise Motel”<br />
Presently <strong>the</strong>re is still no mean<strong>in</strong>gful <strong>human</strong> <strong>rights</strong> activity <strong>in</strong> virtually all rural areas<br />
<strong>in</strong> Zimbabwe and unless this issue is addressed urgently, <strong>the</strong> <strong>in</strong>formation gap between<br />
urban and rural areas will cont<strong>in</strong>ue which will result <strong>in</strong> no mean<strong>in</strong>gful changes <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong><br />
election results to patterns <strong>in</strong> future elections especially <strong>the</strong> impend<strong>in</strong>g 2005<br />
Parliamentary Elections. Members <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> judiciary were not spared ei<strong>the</strong>r from<br />
politically motivated violence as will be evident <strong>in</strong> this paper.<br />
The government conveniently l<strong>in</strong>ked and cont<strong>in</strong>ues to l<strong>in</strong>k <strong>human</strong> <strong>rights</strong> defenders<br />
and NGOs with <strong>the</strong> opposition Movement For Democratic Change <strong>in</strong> order to<br />
ostracise <strong>the</strong>m. 5 Torture as a tool <strong>of</strong> repression was used extensively with over 1000<br />
documented cases <strong>in</strong> October 2002. 6 Teachers who fit <strong>the</strong> def<strong>in</strong>ition <strong>of</strong> hrds by virtue<br />
<strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong>ir special place <strong>in</strong> civilisation became targets <strong>of</strong> politically motivated violence <strong>in</strong><br />
2002 with reports <strong>of</strong> violence aga<strong>in</strong>st teachers be<strong>in</strong>g received <strong>in</strong> 8 out <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> 10<br />
prov<strong>in</strong>ces. Over 35 schools were reported closed <strong>in</strong> Masv<strong>in</strong>go prov<strong>in</strong>ce alone due to<br />
<strong>in</strong>timidation <strong>of</strong> teachers. 107 503 teachers were forced to pay protection fees. 20 994<br />
teachers were kidnapped, 15 659 assaulted/harassed, 14 442 displaced, and 4926<br />
received death reports. 7 Rape was also reported to have been used as a weapon to<br />
fight political opponents by ZANU (P.F). 8<br />
Arbitrary arrest and detention, kidnapp<strong>in</strong>g, selective prosecution, denial <strong>of</strong> fair trial,<br />
degrad<strong>in</strong>g and <strong>in</strong><strong>human</strong> prison conditions, promulgation <strong>of</strong> repressive legislation such<br />
as The Public Order and Security Act ( Cap 11:17) and The Access to Information<br />
and Protection <strong>of</strong> Privacy Act (Cap 10:27) were o<strong>the</strong>r methods used to curtail<br />
enjoyment <strong>of</strong> fundamental <strong>rights</strong> and also create a m<strong>in</strong>efield for hrds. 9<br />
Between 1 January 2002 and 14 April 2002 <strong>the</strong> total cumulative picture <strong>of</strong><br />
documented politically motivated violence was as follows; 54 deaths/executions; 48<br />
4 Zimbabwe Election Support Network reports on <strong>the</strong> March 2002 Presidential election at p 36.<br />
5 ZimRights, FIDH and OMCT <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong>ir jo<strong>in</strong>t report on hrds <strong>of</strong> February 2002 cite cases from March<br />
2002 to November 2002 where <strong>the</strong> government used <strong>the</strong> press to churn out propaganda aga<strong>in</strong>st <strong>human</strong><br />
<strong>rights</strong> groups such as Amani Trust, The Legal Resources Foundation, Amnesty International,<br />
ZimR<strong>rights</strong>, ZESN, Catholic Commission for Justice and Peace, <strong>the</strong> National Constitutional Assembly<br />
and <strong>the</strong> Crisis Coalition.<br />
6 NGO Forum October 2002 report; See also ICG report 42 Zimbabwe: The Politics <strong>of</strong> National<br />
Liberation and International Division; See also <strong>the</strong> Zimbabwe Human Rights Bullet<strong>in</strong> Issue 7, by<br />
Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights p11<br />
7 Zimbabwe Human Rights Bullet<strong>in</strong> issue 7 (pages 11& 98)<br />
8 ZESN Presidential report (supra) p45; ICG Report No 42 (supra) p7; Zimbabwe Human Rights<br />
Bullet<strong>in</strong> issue 7 (p 87/8); see also Daily News report where patrons at a night club <strong>in</strong> Chitungwiza<br />
forced to have sex.<br />
9 Refer generally to <strong>the</strong> Zimbabwe Human Rights Bullet<strong>in</strong>, Issue 7 Basel<strong>in</strong>e report for examples.<br />
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